Forces cordon off 20 villages in Shopian, helicopters pressed in

Srinagar: At least 20 villages were cordoned-off by government forces in an anti-militant operation in south Kashmir Shopian district on Thursday.

DIG South Kashmir S P Pani told a local newspaper Greater Kashmir that an “unprecedented” search operation is going in several villages of Shopian district for the past more than five hours.

He told the newspaper that they had inputs about the presence of militants in the area.

“Clashes erupted at two places in Sugan and Turkwanagam, but we are dealing with it,” the newspaper quoted the DIG as saying.

Reports suggested that cordon and search operation was started in the area early Thursday after inputs that the recent video in which around thirty militants were seen together might have been filmed in the area, the newspaper added.

They said that helicopters were seen hovering in the sky as forces continued house-to-house searches, the report added.